Only a foundation of teen participation can build a vibrant scene such as the one in San Antonio’s main library where teens use computers, listen to music, take cooking classes, do homework, participate in books clubs, and generally hang out. “Teens want a place that welcomes them; they want a role in decision-making, a place that responds to their needs, where they can congregate, socialize, and have a relationship with adults that care about them, who are not their teachers or parents," says Jennifer Velásquez, Coordinator of Teen Services for the San Antonio Public Library System (TX), and a 2011 Library Journal Mover and Shaker. In this ALA Editions Workshop, Velásquez will offer practical strategies for giving teens the lead in developing high-appeal collections and services. You will also learn how to draw from the insights of teens to create an online presence that is both relevant and effective.

Learning Outcomes

Topics Include:

How to position teens for success in program development and implementation

Designing teen-friendly library spaces

Developing, maintaining, and displaying your collection for teens

How teens can offer lessons in customer service training for staff

Publicizing your library effectively with social media and the web

Motivating teen volunteers

Developing library policy that works for teens, by teens

Instructor(s)

Jennifer Velásquez is also a lecturer in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at San Jose State University (CA). In 2005, she was awarded the New York Times Librarian Award in recognition of her work in teen library services. She also received the La Promesa Award for Outstanding Programming to Latino Youth from The National Latino Children's Institute in 1996.

Date(s) & Time(s)

Credits &/or CEUs Heading

Certificate of Completion Available Upon Request.

Fee

$85.00 for individual registration, $120.00 for group registration.

Technical Requirements

This is an online workshop hosted through Webex, a package of two 90-minute sessions. Once you register, you will be given very simple instructions that will help you ensure that you have the proper software and capabilities on your computer to run this event. Further technical information is available at the ALA TechSource FAQ page.